A woman allowed a fraudster to use her bank account to launder the proceeds of a cruise ship scam.

Hayden Mackenzie, 36, had just 37p in her account in January 2018 when she was sent £15,250 by Silversea Cruises UK Limited, a luxury cruise firm, on January 28.

Prosecutor Nathalie Carter told Oxford Crown Court that over the following days several payments were made from the defendant’s account.

By the time the company, which had not sanctioned the payment, became aware of the fraudulent transfer on February 27, £10,340.24 had been shifted on from the account – with around £5,000 recovered by Silversea.

Ms Carter said some of the money was spent on rent arrears, £3,000 was transferred to ‘someone higher up the chain’ and other sums were taken out at cash machines.

The court was told Mackenzie, a single parent, had played a lesser role in the operation, allowing her account to be used by the fraudsters. She’d received a text with the name and banking details of the person to whom she was to pay the £3,000.

Mackenzie, of The Slade, Headington, had been due to stand trial on a single count of money laundering but pleaded guilty after the judge said he would not impose an immediate custodial sentence.

Giving her a two year community order with 100 hours of unpaid work, Recorder John Hardy QC said: “You were tempted, you had difficulties, there was some easy money available to you.”

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